Window cornice



March 27, 1956 M. L. BRAND WINDOW CORNICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1952 D) W4 RM$W- m M ML 2 m m T Q g a M March 27, 1956 M. L. BRAND WINDOW CORNICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1952 United States Patent WINDOW coRNIoE Martin L. Brand, La Due, Mo., assignor to Artcraft Venetian Blind Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 22, 1952, Serial No. 305,893

Claims. (Cl. 160-39) This invention relates to improvements in window cornices, and, in particular, concerns the provision of a readily adjustable segmented cornice which can be assembled with a minimum of labor. A further feature is concerned with means for covering the cornice with a fabric whereby the fabric can be fastened to the cornice with speed and simplicity without the requirement of tools or special mechanisms of any sort.

The window cornice of this invention is adapted for use for any size window and is supportable by a bracket which is both horizontally and vertically adjustable. This bracket may be mounted upon the window frame in conventional manner and holds the window cornice securely with a minimum of labor involved in its adjustment. The window cornice itself is adapted to be covered with a decorative fabric either before or after being positioned upon the bracket. By means of this invention, this is made possible in a simple and very efiicient operation by inserting metal slats at the back of the window cornice which tighten and hold the fabric in a stretched shape across the front of the window cornice. These metal slats are easily insertable in a desired position at the back of the window cornice and are so adapted that the fabric may be adjusted and moved to any desired position.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a window cornice which may be readily adjustable on a window bracket such that it may be made to fit various size windows.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bracket for a window cornice which is both horizontally and vertically adjustable so as to receive a window cornice under varying conditions with a minimum of labor in the installing operation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a window cornice of several segments or panels and which is adjustable across the widths of varying size windows and can be secured by a cornice bracket in which no special tools are required for the securing operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a window cornice with means for securing the decorative fabric across the face by means which can be readily inserted therein and just as easily withdrawn without any special tools or complicated installing procedure being involved.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a window cornice which has means for securing a fabric across the face thereof by the provision of flexible metal slats across the rear of the cornice which can be readily inserted therein so as to stretch the fabric into position and securely hold it in place.

Other objects of this invention will appear in part from the description of a preferred embodiment which follows and will be further apparent to those skilled in the art.

The preferred form of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the top of a window frame showing the adjustable brackets;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view taken from a position intermediate the brackets in Fig. 1, and looking to the right, showing one of the brackets in better detail;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the bracket taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section of the bracket taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of cornice end segments or panels which is adapted to be secured by the righthand bracket shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the cornice segment shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevational view of an intermediate segment of the window cornice which is adapted to be connected to the cornice segment shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the cornice segment which is adapted to be fitted at the left end of the window sash onto the bracket thereon;

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-section of the cornice segment taken along the line 10-10 of Fig. 6 in enlarged detail;

Fig. 11 is a vertical cross-section in enlarged detail of the intermediate cornice segment taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is an elevation of a window frame showing a window cornice with the segments attached to one another and secured by the brackets;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged vertical cross-section of the secured cornice and bracket taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a vertical cross-section similar to the view in Fig. 13, taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is an elevational view of the cornice similar to Fig. 12, but showing the fabric in secured position along the face of the cornice;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged vertical cross-section showing the fabric held in place by the metal insert taken on the line 16-16 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 16 taken along the line 17-17 of Fig. 15; and

Fig. 18 is an isometric view showing the metal insert.

Referring now to the drawings in a general way, and Figs. 1, 12 and 15 in particular, it is seen that there are supporting brackets B mounted in a conventional manner by screws, or the like, on a window frame W. A Window cornice of segmented or paneled form shown generally at C in Fig. 12 is adapted to be mounted on these.

brackets, and a covering F shown in Fig. 15 is adapted to be stretched along the outer face thereof in a manner which will be described.

The bracket B comprises a window mount section 20 which has a base portion 21 which may be fastened to the window in a conventional manner by screws, nails, etc. The window mount is provided wtih holes 22 in which a setscrew 23 is adapted to be positioned. This window mounting is of a channel-shape configuration and has disposed therein in sliding contact a horizontally extensible section 24 which is likewise of a channel-shape configuration, but of such a size as to nest within the mount 20. The nesting end of this section is provided with a slot 25 which fits between the mount 20 and the head of the setscrew 23 so that it may be adjusted by a tightening or loosening of the setscrew and movement of the section with respect to the mount 21). The horizontal section 24 has an offset hook 26 which is located adjacent a groove 27 in the section 24 for a purpose to appear. The lower end of the horizontal section has a downwardly depending channel-shaped portion 28 which is provided with an adjustment slot 29.

Nesting on the outside of the downwardly depending portion 28 is a verticalbracket section 30 of a channelshape and which is provided with a setscrew receiving hole 31 so as to receive a setscrew 32 mounted in the adjusting slot of the horizontal section. The lower end of the vertical section 30 is provided with a downwardly directed hook 33 which is adapted to support a window cornice as will be described.

The window cornice itself comprises three or more segments or panels as shown generally in Fig. 12 which are, respectively, end panels 34 and 35 and an intermediate panel connected thereto designated as panel 36. It is to be understood that any number of such intermediate panels may be used depending on the requirements. End panel 35 is of a generally L-shaped configuration and, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 10, has an upper bent-over rim portion 38 and a corresponding lower rim portion 39. These rim portions are spaced at their ends from the main section of the panel for a purpose to appear, but, at the juncture of the two legs of the L-shaped section, are bent tight against the panel for increased rigidity.

The intermediate panel 36 comprises a straight section having an upper bent-over rim portion 40 and a lower bent-over rim portion 41, which are of a greater radius than the corresponding rim portions of the end panel 35.

The other end panel 34 is identical in construction with the end panel 35.

A flexible metal strip 42 is shown in Fig. 18 which is of an arcuate cross-section such that it may be flexed with no undue strain. This flexible metal insert is adapted to stretch the fabric flat across the face of the window cornice and securely hold it in place in a manner that will appear.

Use-The bracket B, after being fastened to the window frame in conventional manner, is adjusted by loosening the setscrew 23 and adjusting the horizontal section 24 to a desired position so that it may fit over blinds, drapery rods, etc., to fit the window frame in a desired manner. The setscrew 23 is then tightened. The setscrew 32 joining the lower depending portion 28 of the bracket section 24 is then loosened so that the lower section 30 may be adjusted to fit inside the lower rim portion of the cornice as will appear.

The cornice C is joined together by interfitting the intermediate panel 36 with the end panel 35 such that it nests inside the intermediate panel at its end, as is shown in Figs. 12 and 14. In this position, the upper and lower rim members 38 and 39 of the end panel 35 nest within the upper rim member 40 and the lower rim member 41, respectively, of the panel 36 since the former are of a smaller size than the latter. The other end panel 34 is then joined to the intermediate panel in a like manner.

The cornice is then fitted over the brackets by inserting the upper rim of the end panels over the upper hooks of the horizontal sections of the bracket. Thus, as is shown in Fig. 13, the upper rim 38 of the end panel 35 fits over the hook 26 as section 24. The vertical sections of the brackets are then raised and. dropped downwardly into the lower rims of the end panels and the setscrews are tightened. This is clearly shown in Fig. 13 where it is seen that the vertical section 30 has the depending hook portion 33 fitting within the lower rim member 39 of the end panel 35. In this manner the cornice is securely held in place by the bracket against any movement whatsoever. If desired, however, the cornice may be adjusted to a closer or more distant position with respect to the window frame by appropriate adjustment of the setscrew adjustment on the horizontal extension of the bracket.

The fabric covering operation is best understood by referring to Figs. 15 to 18, inclusive. A fitted fabric, which is adapted to fit over the face of the cornice, is cut and the edges of the fabric are folded back over the back sides of the cornice so that they stretch over the upper and lower rim portions.

The metal insert 42 is then flexed so that its ends are drawn toward each other and this insert is then inserted into the upper and lower rims of the panels so as to bear against the cloth and stretch it into the inner recesses of these rims and securely hold the cloth in place upon the release of pressure from the installers hand. Thus, as is shown in Fig. 16, the flexible metal insert 42 will bear against the fabric and hold it securely within the inside of the upper rim portion 38 and the lower rim portion 39 of the end panel 35. A number of these metal inserts are positioned on the cornice and may be positioned along the juncture of the intermediate panel 36 and the end panel as is shown in Fig. 17.

The fabric is then pulled. tight at both ends of the cornice and wrinkles are rubbed out of the fabric along the face of the cronice. The ends of the fabric are then folded over so that the overlapping portion of the fabric at the end of the cornice is folded back on the interior of the cornice and then the metal inserts 42 are inserted at the ends to hold the squared corners in place in the manner described before. Any desired number of inserts may be used, since they are cheap and readily replaceable. It is obvious that a tightening operation may be very simply had by merely removing one of the inserts and pulling the ends of the fabric together along the inside of the cornice and then reinserting the metal slat, which, in assuming. its normal unfiexed position within the rims, acts additionally to pinch and stretch the fabric and hold it in place.

Although the manner of placing the fabric upon the cornice has been described as taking place after the cornice is supported on the brackets, it is to be understood that this operation may take place before this operation depending upon the desire of the installer.

There has been provided, by means of this invention, a cornice which has a readily adjustable bracket in either horizontal or vertical directions and can be adapted to fit over drapes, blinds, and other window constructions in a desired manner. The cornice of this invention can be made of any desired length across the width of a window and by its sliding action of the end and intermediate panels may accommodate any such number of intermediate sections. The fabric covering feature of this invention is of such simplicity and ease in installation that it may be installed with no special tools whatsoever other than the metal inserts which are readily replaceable and are adapted to hold the fabric covering in a stretched and securely tightened position on the cornice. By means of this fabric covering and securing device, any fabric may be placed upon the cornice in a minimum of time and removed therefrom by merely taking out the metal inserts which may be done with practically no labor or loss of time.

What is' claimed is: p

l. A window cornice having a flat outer face which is adapted. to be covered with a decorative fabric covering, and means on said cornice for receiving flexible metal inserts having end edges which engage and stretch said fabric and secure it in a stretched position on the face of the window cornice, said means comprising upper and lower bent-over rim portions for receiving the end edges of said metal inserts and the fabric held therein.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the flexible metal inserts have an arcuate cross-section.

3. A window cornice assembly adapted to be mounted on a window frame and comprising bracket mounting means, a plurality of window cornice panels, means for connecting said panels together in adjustable telescoped relation and securing the assembled panels to said brackets, means for securing a fabric covering to said panels in a stretched condition, said panel connecting means comprising upper and lower bent-over rim portions on each of said panels whereby the ends of each adjacent panel are adapted to nest within one another in tcle scopic relation, and said fabric securing means including a plurality of flexible metal inserts, said inserts having end edges which are springable into said rim portions to stretch said fabric and bind the same therein.

4. A window cornice assembly adapted to be mounted on a window frame and comprising bracket mounting means, a plurality of window cornice panels, means for connecting said panels together in adjustable telescoped relation and securing the assembled panels to said brackets, and means for securing a fabric covering to said panels in a stretched condition, said bracket mounting means including a window frame mounting section, a horizontally extensible section having means thereon to secure an upper portion of a window cornice and a ver tically extensible section having means thereon to secure a lower portion of the window cornice, said panel connecting means comprising upper and lower bent-over rim portions on each of said panels adapted to be engaged by the securing means on said bracket, and adapted to nest at their ends in telescopic relation, and said fabric securing means including a plurality of flexible metal inserts, said inserts having end edges which are springable into said rim portions to stretch said fabric and bind the same therein.

5. A device for stretching a fabric over the top of a flat surface, said device including means on the bottom of said surface for receiving flexible metal inserts having end edges which engage and stretch said fabric and secure it in a stretched position on the top of said flat surface, said means comprising first and second opposed bent-over rim portions at opposed edges on the bottom of said surface for receiving the end edges of said metal inserts and the fabric held therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 598,409 Bliss Feb. 1, 1898 2,250,003 Boye July 22, 1941 2,293,662 Richardson Aug. 18, 1942 2,443,859 Jacobs June 22, 1948 

